They wanted you to stand up
They wanted you to speak
But instead you decided to ignore
And not rise up to your feet
They wanted you to prosper
They wanted you to soar
Yet you sit down complacently
And lead your sons behind those bars
To say you want a change
Yet decide not to change a thing
To say you want better
Yet still not change a thing
Blaming everyone for your problems
But not looking within
Waiting for things to be offered
And when you don’t get it you blame “them”
You will keep up with the Kardashians
But won’t keep up with your local news
You will let those in your neighborhood kill
But start a riot when it finally makes the national news
Valuing what doesn’t matter
Killing over a pair of shoes
Not truly valuing family
Children growing up too soon
They wanted us to prosper
They wanted us to see
They fought for us to have so many privileges
They died to make a future for you and me
Yet..
So many of us say voting doesn’t matter
So many of us say education doesn’t mean a thing
So many of us don’t value family
Yet so many speak of wanting a positive change
Our ancestors went through unimaginable things
So many even lost their lives
Yet some rather live like they are in episodes of “Love and Hip Hop”
Than to truly open their eyes
We are trying to impress each other
But that only keeps us down
We will spend thousands on designer clothes, hair, and shoes
But say education cost “too high”
We will criticize the ones who are trying to be better
And say they are acting “too good”
We gun down our own brothers and sisters
Yet never say anything to cops because to be a snitch is a disrespect to the hood
We create a separation between us
We ostracize others because of the tone of their black skin
We say it is cute to be a thug
And a big booty girl is what females should aim to be
And the ones who speak up
Who says WE should be more and do more than just BE
Are the ones so many dislike
They say “Being black is what you don’t know how to be”
They wanted you to stand up
They wanted you to speak
But instead you decided to ignore
And not rise up to your feet
They wanted you to prosper
They wanted you to soar
Yet you sit down complacently
And lead your sons behind those bars
It is people like you
Who crush the dreams of our youth
And allow them to fall behind
It is people like you
Who hold us back
And make the world think we feel entitled
People like you
Who had opportunities but threw them away each time
People like you who lead our youth to jail cells
Instead of cultivating their minds
People like you applaud the big booty hoe
While disregarding the working college girl
People like you praise the thug in the hood
While telling the educated black male he no longer belongs
It is Black People Like You
Who disappoint our ancestors and make all of their efforts be in vain…
Black People Like You
When will you finally change…..